Brits have been advised to cease using some alcohol-free wipe products as an outbreak of an infection has claimed the life of one individual. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have provided a list of four specific non-sterile, alcohol-free wipe products that should not be used.
This follows on the 59 cases of Burkholderia stabilis that were confirmed in a UK outbreak that was linked to selected non-sterile alcohol-free wipe products in the period between January 2018 and February 2026.
And now a few cases are also being detected. These have had certain life-threatening infections necessitating hospitalisation, and there has been one death associated with Burkholderia stabilis infection. UKHSA described that it is a naturally occurring bacterium that is present in the environment. It rarely infects healthy individuals; however, people with a weakened immune system and patients who have other risk factors like cystic fibrosis are at a high risk of acquiring infection, and patients discharged to use intravenous lines at home have a high risk of infection. In 2025, an outbreak of Burkholderia was detected in four products during investigations.
These objects are “not to be used under any circumstances” :
- ValueAid Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes
- Steroplast Sterowipe Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes
- Microsafe Moist Wipe Alcohol Free
- Reliwipe Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes (testing stated contamination with a Burkholderia strain not related to the outbreak cases).
The UKHSA issued a safety warning in June 2025 to all healthcare professionals, and on February 5 has reiterated this advice. Dr James Elston, Consultant in Epidemiology and Public Health at UKHSA, said: “We are reminding the public not to use, and to dispose of, certain non-sterile alcohol-free wipes which have been linked to an outbreak of Burkholderia stabilis.
“The overall risk to the public remains very low, and affected products have been withdrawn from sale. However, we are continuing to see a small number of cases in vulnerable patients, and we are now aware of one associated death.
“Non-sterile alcohol-free wipes, of any type of brand, should not be used for the treatment of injuries, wounds, or broken skin; and they should never be used to clean intravenous lines.
“UKHSA uncovered the link to this outbreak through testing of wipes used by those affected and worked quickly to notify health professionals through a patient safety alert in June 2025. We have provided a further update to reinforce infection prevention and control guidance.
“When treating injuries or cleaning intravenous lines, it is important to follow NHS advice.”
Symptoms of a Burkholderia stabilis infection may include redness, swelling, augmented pain, warmth near a wound or break in skin, and pus or other exudates out of the wound/break in skin, fever/chills, sepsis-related signs like rash, dyspnoea and confusion. Call NHS 111 if you are worried about a wound that is not healing correctly or if you have a fever after an injury.
